1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drop or distribution boxes for managing fiber optic cables in the deployment of fiber optic networks at subscriber premises.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
The deployment of fiber optic networks at multi-dwelling units (MDUs) and other subscriber premises, requires the use of so-called cable drop or distribution boxes that are designed for mounting on walls or other structures at the premises. Current industry practice calls for the boxes to have a cable entry port at the left side of the box for receiving a fiber optic cable originating from the network provider, and one or more ports at the right side of the box through which a number of fibers associated with individual subscribers at the premises are routed to connect with fibers in the provider cable. See, for example, Corning Cable Systems, Wall-Mountable Connector Housings, at <www.corningcablesystems.com>, and ADC Telecommunications, Indoor Fiber Distribution Terminals—Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), at <www.adc.com/productsandservices/>. See also, 2007 Multilink Catalog, vol. 24, at pages 87-94, disclosing a family of wall mountable fiber optic cable enclosures available from Multilink, Inc., of Elyria, Ohio, USA.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,510 (Dec. 11, 1990) discloses a wall communications outlet wherein cables may enter the outlet through panels inserted at sides of the outlet, or through an opening formed in a backplate of the outlet. Two sets of sidewalls are arranged concentric with the opening in the backplate so that spare lengths of optical fibers can be placed between the sidewalls, according to the patent. International Application No. PCT/IT92/00055 published Nov. 11, 1993, discloses a distribution device for termination of optical ribbon cables. The device has two circular grooves about which a ribbon, and fibers of the ribbon, are wound.
Installation of the known cable boxes by a single worker at a subscriber premises can be difficult and time consuming, however. Further, the known boxes are dimensioned to accommodate older types of fiber optic cables which can not tolerate bend diameters of less than three inches (76.2 mm) without impairing cable performance. Accordingly, the currently available boxes are relatively large, and are not well-suited for widespread deployment of fiber optic networks at multi-dwelling units or other kinds of premises without significant expenditures of time and labor.